Monday, June 25, 2012

It's the last week that our show at Kindred is up and available
through bookhou shop in Toronto! Please do stop by if you are in the
neighbourhood- things have become a little more sparse then when we
opened but it's still a beautiful show to see!

I was so
pleased with how this show turned out- it felt like a real treat to be
able to plan it with Krystal and Arounna- I look forward to more of
these types of collaborations and special projects down the road. Thank you to everyone who has come by already, to those of you who purchased and supported the show- a special thank you too!

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

The show is up!
Thank you to everyone who was able to make it to the opening night- it was so lovely to meet you all. The work all looked so beautiful together at Bookhou! The best part was unpacking everything and both Krystal and I being so excited about each others' work. I couldn't have been more pleased with how it all came together. Since the show is all about a shared kindred spirit, we displayed it just this way- with a bit of Krystal's work, and then a bit of my work- side by side in small groupings. It all looked so pretty together- I'm really glad we were able to take the opportunity to create this show.

These photos were taken by Arounna at Bookhou. Arounna and John have such a fabulous shop and home- their work is so stunning too. I managed to bring home some pieces I had been admiring for quite some time, although it was hard to choose. They are really such a talented pair. And of course, their children are absolutely beautiful!

There was a bit of talk about some 'Kindred' work being available online, but we will be sure to post this if it is going to happen. There are a few more photos on my blog if you are interested!

Monday, June 4, 2012

From the most subtle blues to the darker blues and just about everything in between, I think I've managed to fall in love with blue in a whole new way. As is always the case when making new work, I had a few glaze issues that rose up out of the wood-work for me. It's a good reminder that after 18 years I still haven't managed to master the medium. The mere act of working in clay keeps me humble. That said, there was lots that did turn out- beautifully too!

The best part about this show will be seeing it all come together at the opening. I can't wait!

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

We're quickly approaching June 7th! Just wanted to post a quick preview of some of the pots that recently came out of the kiln. Working in a blue & white palette has been such a good change of pace for me. Sometimes creative restrictions can actually bring about refreshing changes. I'm loving this return to a more "traditional" colour scheme, yet have tried to approach it with a more modern & graphic sensibility and the response has been very positive! Another change is that I've been firing in my new studio, in a kiln that is more low-tech than I'm used to, but found that the firings have been very good.

Thank you to all of you who have already rsvp'd on our Facebook event page. We'd love to see you there. If you know of anyone who'd like to see the work, please pass along the details!

Okay, can't wait to see you all at the show & welcome Heather to our fair city!

Monday, May 28, 2012

Here's a little glimpse of some of the steps of glazing and a finished platter that turned out oh so pretty for the Kindred show! I've got the photographer coming tomorrow and then the work will be shipped from Vancouver to Toronto by Wednesday! Fingers crossed- it's all coming up really close! See you soon TO, Heather

Monday, May 14, 2012

Hi there!
It's Heather here with a little up-date and sneak peek at what I unloaded out of the kiln today! Lots of pretty blues in all sorts of patterns! I was playing around with the sizes of patterns and shades of blue this past firing- for the most part I'm really pleased with what I took out of the kiln! I ended up doing a bit of 'blind' glazing this last time around as I have been working with a new porcelain that is beautiful, white and translucent, however the glazes tend to be quite fuzzy where they meet the white glaze. In spots it can look really nice, but occasionally I feel like it messes with the patterns a bit, so I'm going to have to watch out for how thick I apply the glazes the next time around. I also was hoping to expand my deep blue glazes, but am still working towards this. I have quite a few pale and mid-range tones, but only the one deep indigo. Hopefully this will change by the time I ship off the work!!

In other news, I up-dated my current website today to include a new video that has been in the works for the past little while. One of my goals this year was to create a video of my hands at work in the studio. I felt it was a good time to open up about how my work is made and just some of the steps taken to create the work I make. I have a process that I have spent a few years developing to glaze and it's a method that really informs my work in a strong way. Please take a moment to watch the video to catch a glimpse of my low-tech, time-intensive method of glazing. It will make sense then why I'm so inspired by paper-cutting, quilts stripes and graphic, bold patterns reminiscent of textile prints.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Part of my preparation for kindred included moving to a new studio. I'd advise against doing this before a show if at all possible, however I had no choice. And I found myself a great new home. Ceramics always seems to involve problem solving at every pass, doesn't it? I bisqued all my pots prior to the move and packed them in bubble to transport them just a few blocks down the street to the new space, which I love. There's lots of natural light and we're in a building that is full of other creative types & my new studio mates are fantastic. My shelves are filling up with pots ready for glazing. I know Heather is about to shift into glaze mode, too -- I can't wait to see our work together in June!

Welcome!

'Kindred in Blue + White' is the title of a show combining the ceramics of Krystal Speck from Toronto and Heather Dahl from Vancouver at Bookhou in Toronto from June 7-30, 2012. The idea for the show came about as Heather discovered Krystal's ceramics online and felt that their work was 'kindred' to her own, sharing a spirit, sensibility, and process to making with clay. As the two artists began to connect, a friendship was formed along with the concept of creating a exhibit together.This blog shares the process and inspiration leading up to the exhibit opening. Thanks for stopping in and enjoy!